Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your family.
I’ve lived in this area my whole life. I grew up in Langhorne, graduated from Neshaminy High School in 1999, and married my high school sweetheart, Tracy—she graduated the same year from Council Rock. We’ve moved a few times but always within a one-mile radius, first renting in Tamerlane, then getting a home in Bridle Ridge, and now we’re in our perfect spot. We have two kids—our daughter, Kaylin (13), and our son, Jackson (8).
My family is still close by—my mom lives in Newtown, my brother is in Warminster, and my sister is just around the block in Tapestry. We also have family down in Virginia, but for the most part, we’ve all stayed local.
Tracy and I met the old-school way—just hanging out in Newtown. Back when Goodnoe’s was still around, it was the spot. I grew up in Langhorne, right on the edge of the Neshaminy and Council Rock school districts, so I’d ride my bike down 413, cross the bridge at George School, and head into Newtown to hang out. We’d spend time on State Street, in the Goodnoe’s parking lot, or by 7-Eleven, just meeting people. Her group of friends hung out there too, and that’s how we met.
We started dating when we were 16 but waited 10 years to get married—had to finish high school, go to college, get jobs, and all that first. I proposed just before our 10-year anniversary, and we got married in 2009. Now, every time we do the math, we just end up feeling old!
Q: Tell me about your past and present career.
I’ve always been into art, ever since I was a kid. I went to St. Andrew’s Catholic School, but they didn’t have an art program. I’d rush through my tests just so I could flip the paper over and draw on the back—Ninja Turtles, Super Mario, all that. My parents saw how much I loved to draw, so when I was in third grade, they let me paint murals on the basement walls. It started with Who Framed Roger Rabbit, then Tiny Toons, then Aladdin—pretty soon, the whole basement was covered. Seeing how much I loved art, my parents transferred me to public school at Oliver Heckman in Langhorne so I could actually take art classes. That set me on the path—through middle school, high school, and beyond.
In high school, a new company took over the art concessions at Sesame Place—the caricatures, sand art, photography, name art—and they needed employees. They went around to local high school art classes, including mine, and my teacher let them check out our work. My portfolio? A bunch of skateboarding guys, Green Day portraits, and drawings of The Crow—exactly the kind of stuff an 11th grader would be into.
They liked my enthusiasm and saw some talent, so they invited me to a crash course at Sesame Place. In three hours, they taught us the basics of drawing caricatures—how to break faces down into shapes and proportions, focus on eye and ear placement, and exaggerate features. Then, at the end, they went around picking who would get hired. Some people got cut, others got a “maybe next year”, and I got a “you start Monday”.
That summer was a trial by fire—drawing all day in the heat, dealing with cranky kids and exhausted parents, and overcharging for a quick sketch. Parents would argue with me about whether the drawing looked like their kid. After two summers, I was done with theme park life. But that job? It shaped my career.
Even after going into graphic design and marketing, I’ve never stopped doing caricatures and illustration. It’s been a constant since 1998. When kids ask how long I’ve been drawing, I always tell them “since last century”, which totally blows their minds.
I always knew I wanted to do art, so I only applied to one school—Tyler School of Art. Looking back, I have no idea what I would’ve done if I didn’t get in, but thankfully, I did.
I went in wanting to be an illustrator. Tyler had these amazing illustration professors and an incredible program. But there was a catch: to take the illustration classes, you had to major in graphic design. It made sense—both fields required working with art directors, agencies, and clients, plus knowing how to communicate ideas and take feedback. So, I declared graphic design as my major, even though I had zero interest in things like logos, branding, or typography.
Once I finished the graphic design requirements, I could finally focus on illustration. I loved it so much that I kept retaking the same classes, just so I could work on new projects.
One of my favorites was Art Direction with Paul Keppel, where we spent the whole semester creating a children’s book—designing the layout, typography, illustrations, and book jackets. I took that class three different times, just making new books each semester. Only one of them counted for credit, but I didn’t care—I just wanted to keep illustrating.
I was so focused on avoiding academic classes that I ended up needing a fifth year to finish general education courses. When I finally graduated, I looked at my portfolio and realized something surprising: I had way more graphic design work than illustration work.
After graduating, I took a portfolio class to get my work together, and that led to my first job at LA Weight Loss, working in their art department doing graphic design. That was my entry into the corporate creative world, and from there, I started building a career in marketing and design. I have had multiple jobs at some really cool companies before landing my current job at Ellis Coffee Company as their Director of Marketing.
Even though my corporate job pays the bills, I’ve never stopped doing caricature art. It started as beer money in college, and now it’s “take-the-family-to-Disney-World” money.
One of my coolest experiences was working as a caricature artist for the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. That’s where I got to work alongside one of my childhood heroes, Bruce Blitz—the guy behind Cartooning with Blitz on PBS. Growing up, I’d watch his show on an old antenna TV with only three channels, and years later, I found myself working with him in the stadium. That was a full-circle moment.
Not every gig is perfect. Sometimes, I’m driving far on a Saturday night, missing a family event to draw strangers at a wedding. But I remind myself, I do this because I love it. If I didn’t love caricature art, I wouldn’t still be doing it after all these years.
The best gig I ever had almost didn’t happen. I got an email from a guy claiming to be the tour manager for Luke Combs, asking if I’d be interested in drawing caricatures backstage at his world tour finale in Philadelphia. At first, I thought it was a scam—I had heard of Luke Combs, but I wasn’t sure how big he really was. I googled him, checked the tour dates, and everything seemed legit. I asked my wife, “Do you know Luke Combs?” She said, “I think he’s pretty big.” When I started asking around, people were freaking out about the sold-out show, so I decided to say yes.
When I arrived at Lincoln Financial Field, I was escorted by golf cart through security, with my gear inspected by drug-sniffing dogs. I was given a VIP pass and set up right outside the green room where Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, and Flatland Cavalry were hanging out. The concert was delayed until 11 PM due to rain, which meant I had hours to sketch everyone.
I had the chance to draw Lainey Wilson—before she won five Grammys—and I had no idea who she was. She introduced herself simply as “Lainey,” and I casually asked, “What do you do?” My wife later roasted me for not recognizing her. She even tried to Venmo me a tip, but for some reason, I turned it down. I also had the surreal experience of drawing Luke Combs’ son after his manager handed me a photo and said, “Luke wanted you to do this one.” Looking back, I had no idea how big it was at the time. Luke Combs sold out two nights at Lincoln Financial, while legends like Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks only sold out one. It was easily my best gig ever.
I’ve had my fair share of unusual gigs, but one, in particular, stands out—not as my worst gig, but definitely as one of the most nerve-wracking at the time. I got a call from someone at the New Jersey State Hospital, asking if I would come in to draw caricatures for some of their patients who couldn’t get out. The idea of using my art to bring joy to others tugged at my heartstrings, and I agreed right away. The event was booked, the deposit paid, and I was excited to get started.
But a few days before the event, while double-checking details, I discovered that I was about to do live caricatures in a psychiatric hospital. I had no idea what to expect. I reached out to the organizer, who reassured me that the patients were high-functioning and not prone to violent outbursts. Still, I was uneasy.
When I arrived, the experience turned out to be much better than expected. The patients were sweet, excited to get their caricatures, and I started to relax. That is, until a doctor suddenly rushed over, looking horrified. It turned out that I had unknowingly been handing out plastic sleeves with the artwork—something I do out of habit to protect the drawings. In a psychiatric hospital, those sleeves could be used as a weapon. The doctor quickly confiscated them, and I was left mortified. Thankfully, the staff handled the situation, and the event went on without a hitch.
To my surprise, a few months later, they called me back for their Fall Fest, and I actually agreed to return. It was one of the most unexpected gigs I’ve ever had, but drawing at a psychiatric hospital twice? That definitely tops the list. Every gig is a unique experience, and you never know what kind of stories you’ll walk away with.
Q: What is your favorite part about what you do?
The interaction. When I’m drawing, I’m reading people—some want to be flattered, others want a laugh. And the real fun is the crowd. At weddings, guests stand behind me, cracking jokes about every exaggerated nose or chin I sketch. The whole experience becomes entertainment, not just a drawing.
One of the most rewarding aspects is being part of people’s milestones. I once drew a couple at a Phillies game on their first date. Years later, they hired me for their wedding, then their child’s first birthday. Another time, I was part of a proposal—pretending to be a random artist in a park, only to reveal a pre-drawn caricature of the guy proposing. She was shocked, he got down on one knee, and the whole thing was caught on camera. Later, they had me at their wedding too.
These moments remind me why I love what I do. It’s not just about drawing—it’s about connecting with people, being part of their stories, and creating memories they’ll cherish forever.
Q: What are some of your favorite restaurants in the area?
Some of my favorite local restaurants? Definitely Iron Hill—we go there all the time. And JB Dawson’s is another go-to, especially since our kids love it too. It’s always like, “Hey, we haven’t been to JB Dawson’s in a while,” so it’s a regular spot for us. Big shoutout to Dan, the manager at Iron Hill—he’s awesome. (And yes, I’m a proud King of the Hill Club member!)
For breakfast, Moish and Itzy’s on the bypass is our favorite spot. And when we want something close and casual, El Barrio is always a great hangout.
Q: What’s your favorite type of music? Do you have a favorite group or genre?
I’ve always been a punk rock guy—I played guitar in bands through middle school, high school, and college. I’ve always loved fast, aggressive, loud music. But over time, my taste expanded, and now my Spotify is all over the place. One minute, I’m listening to Tribe Called Quest and Q-Tip, the next it’s Lamb of God or August Burns Red. And of course, thanks to my kids, there’s always some Taylor Swift in the mix. So while punk is my foundation, I appreciate all kinds of music!
Q: What are some of your favorite movies and TV shows?
The Shield is hands down one of the best ever. I’m actually rewatching it now because I got my sister and her husband into it, and of course, we need to be able to talk about it. We also just watched Bad Monkey with Vince Vaughn—that was really funny.
There’s so much out right now, though. We’ve binged a ton of shows, but Severance has been tough to get back into since it’s been years between seasons. My wife suggested rewatching the first season, but I’m like, no time for that.
And then there’s Letterkenny on Hulu—a Canadian comedy that’s absolutely hilarious. I binged all eight seasons in a month, and now I’ve picked up little bits of the accent. I even use one of the show’s catchphrases, Pitter patter, let’s get at ’er, to get my kids out the door for school!
Q: What about travel? Where’s your favorite place you’ve ever been and where do you want to go next?
We go to Ocean City, NJ every year for a week, and my wife is a huge Disney fan. If it were up to her, all my caricature money would go towards Disney trips, but I try to balance it by alternating between Disney and Universal every other year. Personally, though, Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights was one of my favorite experiences. We went one year without the kids, and they transform the park at night into a massive Halloween event with the best haunted houses. There were themed houses based on Stranger Things, Universal Monsters, and The Last of Us. It was incredible!
As for my favorite place, that would have to be St. Thomas, especially Megan’s Bay Beach. The water there was so warm and still—like nothing I’ve ever seen. It was so serene, and you could sit in the water with your phone above you without getting splashed. It felt like heaven. I’d love to go back for a longer stay, not just as part of a cruise. You can even fly directly from Atlantic City to St. Thomas in about three hours, which makes it a great tropical getaway.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
My advice to people is simple: just say yes and figure it out later. When someone asks you to do something, don’t overthink it—just say yes and trust that you’ll figure it out once you’re in the situation. Some people worry about all the “what ifs,” like “What if I don’t like it?” or “What if it doesn’t work out?” But I’ve always found that opportunities come when you’re open to them.
I’ve been in situations where I had no idea how it would work out, but I just jumped in and figured it out as I went. One time, someone asked me to work at a mental institution—why not? I went for it. Sometimes you have to take risks to grow.
That said, there are also times when you just have to say no. For example, I once got an email about a wedding at a nudist colony. The photographer bailed last minute, and they were looking for a replacement—except they needed someone to be nude. Needless to say, that was a situation where I didn’t even need to think twice. I just said no. There are definitely times when it’s better to pass.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite smells?
Well, there’s this incredible scent that gets pumped through the vents at the Hard Rock Resort in Orlando. We’ve even tried to track down what it is because it’s just that good—it’s such a distinct and memorable smell. Another favorite? Those little vanilla-scented baby binkies. When my daughter had them, I loved the smell, and when she outgrew them, I actually missed it. So when my son came along, I was excited to have that scent back in the house again!
Q: What are a couple words or phrases you think of when you hear the word home?
Holland, warmth, family, and relaxing
Q: Where can people find you and your business?
Bucks County Caricatures
Email: Chris@BucksCountyCaricatures.com
Web: BucksCountyCaricatures.com
Phone: 484-620-1197